


i feel gravity in between us (i know you can too)

by toyota_hiichan



Category: IZONE (Band)
Genre: 2kim literally 2cm apart idk what y’all on, F/F, bet your ass this isn’t gonna be angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:33:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28534473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toyota_hiichan/pseuds/toyota_hiichan
Summary: chaewon and minjoo and their relationship in vignettes
Relationships: Kim Chaewon (IZONE)/Kim Minju
Comments: 2
Kudos: 61





	i feel gravity in between us (i know you can too)

**Author's Note:**

> title is based on ben platt’s temporary love

minjoo rummages through her closet, a messy pile of clothes thrown haphazardly onto the bed. she’s on the hunt for one of her favorite shirts, a black knitted top with keroppi poking out of the breast pocket. 

twenty minutes in and the shirt is still nowhere in sight. her closet has been turned upside down and she’s gone through every single one of her drawers. 

there hasn’t been any luck on her hands. 

she exhales before proceeding to fold everything and put them back into the specific piles in her closet. it takes her even more time to sort them out compared to when she started digging through them. 

she walks to the kitchen, exasperated, trying to think of all the places she could’ve misplaced it. the laundry isn’t possible, she counts every single piece she puts in the machine. it’s for sure not at work either, she only ever wears semi-formal attire there. the only other possibility is having left it at chaewon’s apartment. 

“chae, have you seen my black keroppi shirt?” minjoo regards the older girl, who turns around from her place by the stove.

to minjoo’s surprise, lo and behold, is the shirt in question

chaewon wears it tucked into a pair of tattered denim shorts, hair tied up into a high ponytail. it‘s an outfit she’s seen a fair few times before, a chaewon staple even, but that doesn’t stop the hammering of her heart. she feels it thudding, right at the back of her throat. 

“this one?” chaewon asks, almost too innocently, too sweetly. minjoo knows an act when she sees one.

she sighs in turn, sending chaewon raised eyebrows in response. minjoo swallows down a nervous thrum, or attempts to anyway, “you have got to stop wearing my clothes, chae, i’m gonna start running out of stuff to wear.”

but she stutters, somewhere between halfway and the end, a slight quiver in her voice that isn’t enough to be hidden by her statement. 

chaewon gives her a teasing look, lips forming a cocky grin, “are you gonna say that like you mean it, babe?” she turns back to whatever she’s cooking, the savory scent already discernible from where minjoo stands at the entrance of the kitchen. 

minjoo sighs, takes the brunt of the teasing and shrugs it off, “i cant mean it, not entirely, not when you look that good in them” the admission rolls off her tongue easily, no shyness or bashfulness, just plain and simple. but she bogs it down by interjecting, “but seriously, i’m going to run out of clothes.” 

chaewon hums, a certain look passing over her features. it’s the one she usually gives when she likes to be annoying, narrow side-eyeing and furrowed lips. the next words out of her mouth are a curious suggestion, “you can always start wearing mine.”

minjoo stuffs her face into her hands. whines against her fingers, “why are you like this?”

* * *

minjoo lends chaewon her hoodie, as they head down the street towards chaewon’s apartment block. she mentions the cold in passing and the younger hands it to her, quietly, only signing with a small “here”. 

the air is heavy as they walk, thick with the scent of rain, almost musty as the fog clings onto dry brick walls.

their hands sling together, space knit soft in between them. chaewon matches minjoo’s longer strides, easily because there’s not so much of a difference anyway. their footsteps pitter-patter on the sidewalk, light thumps when boot heels meet cement. 

walking home is simple as this, filled with silence that isn’t overbearing, that’s only ever comfortable. and soon, they find themselves at the doorstep of the building. 

it’s already way too late into the evening when chaewon finds minjoo’s ipod burrowed deep in the pocket of her hoodie. the screen flickers, the small music tab on the front screen. she clicks the device open. 

her name greets her, right underneath the song that’s just been played. the time marker is leaning towards the end, barely a minute left, and mindlessly, chaewon presses play. 

there a few quickly paced beats before the lyrics start.

_I can say that loving you was easy_

_I don’t need to prove a single thing_

_Somewhere along the way_

_I guess you got under my skin_

_I put all my cards out on the table_

_You ain’t ever gonna show your hand_

_I would rather hold you close than_

_Try to understand_

the last note hits, a light vibration reverberating from the phone. chaewon’s left stunned, mind drawing a blank. it’s as direct as a confession can get, placed into a folder with her name on the front cover. except minjoo has never said it out loud, and neither has she. 

chaewon isn’t quite sure where she stands either; her feelings past the point of simple liking but it’s only tiptoeing around the line of love, not quite in or out of it. but she can’t focus at the thought of minjoo keeping this in for however long.

she sends the younger a text, making sure she’s home first. 

** chaewon **

are you home yet, min?

** minjoo **

yeah i am 

** chaewon **

can i call? 

** minjoo **

sure ><

the dial tone rings once and minjoo picks up immediately, “did you need anything?” chaewon shakes her head instinctively, the words lodged in her throat. she breathes in, “no, but i wanted to ask you something.”

minjoo responds, “yeah?” and chaewon counts to three in her head before playing the bit of the song she heard. replaying it like this makes chaewon feel like the moment gets stretched too thin, tension taut on both ends. 

as the song ends, chaewon hears the sharp inhale from the receiver, static crackling around it. chaewon presses onto the actual question, “you have an album with my name?”

minjoo sighs and says quietly, “yeah.” her voice drops even more, “yeah, i do.” chaewon’s ears strain but she hears it clearly enough.

chaewon knows as much, her mind filled with a plethora of questions in different tangents, but the first word out of her lips is “why?” 

she’s filled with instant regret. it’s not even the question she wants to hear of the most, but apparently, she’s lost her brain-to-mouth filter, saying the question so callously. 

but minjoo isn’t even exasperated or angry, her voice filled with something akin to dread. chaewon knows it even if she doesn’t see her face, familiar with the drops in her tone. she thinks of minjoo doing that nervous tic of hers, digging her nails over the skin of her palm. 

“listen to it, you’ll understand why.” 

chaewon nods, forgetting again that they’re only talking through the phone. she says “alright, i will.” and she flinches. she sounds cold, almost indifferent. but before she can take it back, the phone call’s dropped and the repeated noise rings through the backdrop of chaewon’s room. 

so she turns her phone off and clicks on the first song in the album of her name. she lies down on her bed, staring at the stars on her ceiling as she listens to each song carefully. 

(a lot of the songs are familiar, but others are more obscure titles, with lyrics she can barely catch up to. she gets by with google searches.)

by the time she finishes, it’s almost eight in the evening. her brain’s still buzzing with the thoughts of almost eighty songs, which despite the different lyrics were all, irrevocably, about love. 

her eyes move to the stars on her ceiling, trying to control the pace of her thoughts. she looks to the biggest one, counting the smaller ones in between, until she reaches the other big one on the farther end of the ceiling. 

she takes her phone out and sees several texts from minjoo, over two hours ago. 

** minjoo **

i know it might seem too early for them

and i didn’t want to pressure you into feeling like you had to feel the same way

but i also couldn’t just lock it away

so i made the playlist

i probably should have been more careful about keeping it...

she hears the silent apology in those words and can’t help but feel the want to console her. 

** chaewon **

you don’t have to feel sorry about it okay?

i’ll get there eventually

you’re just a little early

this is what you get for being too punctual kim minjoo -.-

** minjoo  **

yup, that one’s completely my fault

but

it’s not my fault you made it so easy 

:<

** chaewon **

are you blaming this one on me? >:(

** minjoo **

if that’s what you think it is~

since you already know, i guess i can say it now..

i love you

(you don’t have to say it back) 

chaewon smiles almost too widely at that, heart threatening to burst at the seams. 

* * *

minjoo does not know how, but by some form of miracle, chaewon manages to wake up before the sun is up. 

most of their weekends together are lazy, a late start and early end. hours spent reading or watching a movie together late until night, until they fall asleep tangled together. 

on busier days, they still spend it together, except it’s at the dining table, case files and architectural plates littering their respective sides. the day starts out earlier then, pushing out into the first stretches of daylight the next day. 

minjoo is sure it’s not one of those weeks; she’s just finished one of her most grueling cases and chaewon’s managed to get through her preliminary defense unscathed. but she gets woken up by chaewon clad in only shorts and a sports bra. 

on a normal day, the sight would be enough to wake her up, blushing to her toes. but today isn’t a normal day. today is a saturday, meant for sleeping in and not having to care about the world, instead of having to wake up with it. minjoo is by no means a morning person, and chaewon, sportswear or not, will not be the force ruining the start of her peaceful weekend. 

or so, that’s what she tells herself right before chaewon gives her that innocent, pleading look and all her plans come crashing to the ground. 

she grumbles her way out of bed, combing through her bed hair.

they’re out the door before the clock even strikes seven, and minjoo can barely tie two and two together so her brain isn’t quite screaming bloody murder. the breeze hits her the moment they step outside, sending shivers running down the back of her spine. 

minjoo hears her bones rattle first before she feels them. chaewon is already shrugging her jacket off before she can stop her. 

“here, wear this,” she says as she pushes the jacket to minjoo, but minjoo shakes her head, pushing at her outstretched hand, “chae, you’re barely wearing anything. i don’t want you to freeze to death.” 

chaewon snorts at that, no quiver in her shoulders, “do i look cold to you, min?” minjoo rolls her eyes as chaewon continues, “just wear it, i don’t want to drag you all the way back.” 

“it’s not like i wanted to get dragged out of bed at 6 am,” minjoo grumbles, lips pouting slightly. she get the jacket from chaewon’s hand, fitting her arms into the bigger sleeves snugly.

the jacket is warm, easily removing the brisk cold that hovers around. the material is soft and it smells like chaewon, clean undertones of mint, and minjoo has to keep herself from completely sinking into it. 

chaewon soon breaks into a jog, ponytail swishing behind her. minjoo follows, gaining the same momentum. 

the streets are dimly lit, only the occasional streetlamp’s light filling through the dark, but they see their way through easily enough. it’s a familiar route, one they go on regularly for simple dates or walks around their neighborhood. there aren’t many people around. on weekdays, some high school students would already be heading out, stores start to open, and a busy clamour hangs in the air. except today isn’t a weekday, today is a lazy day for many people in their small city neighborhood.

minjoo wants to ask why they’re doing this again but she’s spending all her energy on maintaining pace and not tripping on some random thing on the road.

they take the road branching uphill from the main city road, steps slowing as they walk on the cemented incline. the trail up the hill is a bit tedious, about a kilometer of winding road. 

minjoo isn’t good with uphill trails or jogging or the early morning on saturdays so as they climb farther, she starts lagging. chaewon is still pulling ahead steadily. minjoo’s starting to feel her exhales come and go more erratically. 

“wait a bit, chae,” minjoo puffs. sees her breath come out in wisps as chaewon waits for her. minjoo presses her hands on bent knees, breathes  twice before walking slowly to chaewon. 

minjoo manages to keep the jog as they reach the top, without any additional stops. by the time they reach the small crest of the hill, the sun’s already risen, bathing the whole place in an almost-glowing light. 

the view from the top is unbelievable, the small uphill suburb slowly waking up with the sun. some store shutters are opening and people are starting to walk out of their homes. the old men by the corner store are setting up their games, away from the direct light of the sun, an old beat up chessboard and a few wooden chairs sitting closely by.

minjoo looks at chaewon, who’s still transfixed by the view in front of them. the sunlight hits her frame and it grafts itself onto her skin like a sprinkle of gold. the light sheen of sweat on her face only gives her a further shine. minjoo wouldn’t be so far from saying she’s just as transfixed by the view in front of her. 

she ends up staring for longer than intended, unable to take her eyes away from chaewon. it’s when she fully realizes what chaewon’s wearing that she snaps out of her daze, nervousness bubbling in the pit of her stomach.

minjoo takes off the jacket and before thinking it through, she drapes it onto chaewon’s shoulders, fingers pulling tight on the front. 

chaewon gives her a look, their faces a feet apart, but minjoo’s fingers don’t leave the hem of the jacket. but she looks at chaewon, giving her a dimpled smile. “well, i thought you might want it back now.” 

chaewon raises an eyebrow and inches her face closer, “is that it, min?” her fingers wrap around minjoo’s, “really?”

minjoo blushes, the close proximity leads her heart to a stop and her mind drifting to the rails. it’s absurd. absurd how one look from kim chaewon can turn minjoo from stoic defense attorney to a tongue tied girl in front of her first love. absurd that her mind turns into mush at the sight of the older girl. but it’s never a bad thing. 

“what if i said, it is, babe?” minjoo uses her trump card, the endearment she doesn’t say as much because she prefers the way chaewon’s name fits comfortably on her tongue. but she knows how chaewon likes it when she does. 

but it doesn’t work, not this time, and chaewon only smiles at her, “what if i said i don’t believe you,  _ babe_?” her tone is teasing, the glint in her eyes adding to it. 

minjoo doesn’t last. it takes about three seconds and chaewon’s impish look before she slips out of her composure and looks down, biting her lip. she mutters, “i still get shy, okay.” her voice is quiet, and the noise around them seemingly starts to fade out. 

chaewon pushes the teasing, “what was that? i don’t think i heard it properly.” 

minjoo whines, leaning into the crook of chaewon’s shoulder, forehead resting on both jacket and skin. “i still get shy when i’m around you.” she breathes out, and she feels chaewon quiver against her. “that’s all.”

chaewon lets go of her hands (minjoo’s only belatedly realized that she didn’t make the effort to let go either) and snakes her arms in minjoo’s shirt, around her waist. chaewon’s hands are cool, a perfect neutral temperature. minjoo rests one hand on top of chaewon’s shoulder as she snuggles further into her. 

minjoo isn’t quite sure how long they stay like that, somewhere in the middle of standing and cuddling. but the sun starts to get high, and minjoo starts to feel the blistering heat through her shirt. 

they both move apart at the same time, almost instinctively. they stay close together still, beside each other, their arms still touching. they look back out from the hill, trying to take in as much of the changed landscape (all the stores are open and people are starting to fill their streets, loud conversation rising in the air). 

chaewon releases a soft exhale before turning to minjoo, “let’s go home?” 

minjoo ponders on those words, thinks how much things mean differently now. it hasn’t been long but the newfound comfort in their shared space is a sanctuary for minjoo, a safe haven. 

but time starts to move too fast, silence almost getting too awkward as minjoo cleaves at the thought of  _ home, home, home _ resonating in her head. 

chaewon pipes up, confused, “hey, min?” and minjoo shakes herself away from all her thoughts, and takes chaewon’s hand.

“yeah, let’s go home.” 

they enter minjoo’s apartment, hands having let go, already clammy under the heat. minjoo calls first dibs to a shower. 

before she heads in the bathroom though, she shouts a warning, “make me do this again tomorrow, and you’re sleeping on the couch.” 

the only thing she hears is tinkling laughter as she pulls the door shut.

* * *

they’re settling into bed, when chaewon asks a question. it’s one she hasn’t quite had the courage to ask, but now that it’s 3 am and she’s running purely on the post-caffeine effect, she can’t help it slipping out of her mouth. 

“if we weren’t together, do you think you’d date someone else?”

minjoo rolls around to face chaewon. she rubs her eyes open before giving it a thought. she responds, voice sleep-hazed, “probably not.”

minjoo continues, “i wasn’t really interested in dating, you know?” 

(chaewon’s brought back to the night of yena’s party; she was sitting by the large couch in the living room, when minjoo had sidled up to her and asked for her name. chaewon didn’t really think much of it, finding interesting conversation with the only other person in the room who didn’t seem too drunk. 

but in the aftermath of everything, as everyone was getting ushered out, minjoo had asked her out on a date.) 

chaewon hums, raising her eyebrow by a fraction, “could’ve fooled me.” minjoo laughs, light and airy. She shakes her head, or tries to anyway with the little space they have.

“this sounds cheesy,” and chaewon tosses her a look, one to say  _most of the things you say are cheesy_ , but minjoo rolls her eyes, shushes her. “don’t laugh.” 

“it felt different with you.” minjoo says in the smitten voice they’d use to rib at ridiculous romantic punchlines. 

chaewon retorts, “just admit it, you thought i was pretty.” 

“oh, there’s that, too,” minjoo supplies. “literally the first person to ever get me tongue-tied like that, and it was all because she was pretty.” 

the comment makes chaewon laugh, only fueling the teasing. “i should watch out, if it all takes for you to get tongue-tied is a pretty girl in front of you.” 

minjoo shakes her head, taking chaewon’s hand in hers and fiddling with her fingers. “only you.” 

chaewon notices the quick drop in the atmosphere. it’s a contrast to the original exchange of retorts, devolved to a whisper (hushed). but the room is silent and chaewon’s ears are attuned to the muting of minjoo’s voice whenever she gets shy or sentimental so she catches them easily. 

she’s about to say something as she looks at minjoo. sees the affection teeming from minjoo’s eyes, a little glossed over, and the thought stops in its tracks. 

chaewon tilts her head, just enough to bridge the gap between her and minjoo. their lips touch slightly, feather-light against each other. neither pull away.

lingering. a hair’s breadth apart. 

chaewon looks at minjoo’s eyes fluttering open, slow and heavy. a small yawn riddles her system but her eyes stay open. 

chaewon has never been good with words in tense moments. (there’s always an underlying fear of ruining them.) so she does the one thing most familiar to her:

she brings minjoo closer. 

her arms slings over minjoo’s waist, thumb rubbing circles over thin fabric. presses her forehead against minjoo’s before closing her eyes. 

it’s not long before she feels minjoo’s breathing even out. 

* * *

minjoo opens the door to chaewon’s apartment early in the morning. too early, minjoo thinks as sees the clock hanging on the wall, a minute to five o’clock. she leaves her coat and shoes by the door. 

chaewon had given her the keys a few weeks back, almost shyly, and it was really all the push she needed to take out her spare sitting constantly, filled with weight, in the pocket of her own jeans. 

minjoo heads to the kitchen, paper bag in hand. she settles the bag on the counter before looking at the contents of chaewon’s fridge. two eggs, half a carton of milk, and the pack of chocolate minjoo had gifted her for white day. it’s not enough to make a filling breakfast, or snack, minjoo thinks, shaking her head. it’s good she went to the mart before she came over. 

minjoo puts on an apron before prepping everything on the counter. the next movements fall into a systematic whirr: set the rice cooker, crack the eggs, set out the vegetables. she knows she’s not the best cook, but she also knows she can do it well enough for it to at least be edible; and she’d much rather go on with her day knowing that chaewon at least had something in her stomach before her test, no matter how subpar they might have been. 

she sets the timer for 15 minutes before she starts loading up the vegetables in the oven and the eggs over the stove. breakfast is simple fare, rice with rolled omelette and sausages with some hot chocolate paired along. 

minjoo heads to the balcony, setting up the foldable table and chairs. it isn’t completely dark, the sun already little ways past the horizon. it illuminates the place, casting it in soft glow, and minjoo basks in it. breathes in the cool, dewy air before looking headlong into the city, through all the skyscrapers and towering apartment buildings. 

she heads back to the kitchen, not forgetting to turn off the oven and alarm before they set off too much noise. minjoo places the opens the oven door slightly before making her way to chaewon’s bedroom. 

chaewon’s room is dim, the white walls reflecting the light of the small lamp by the bedside table. minjoo pads inside, the cold from the floor seeping into her socks. 

chaewon’s bundled up in her blanket and duvet, rolled up into a ball. minjoo takes a moment to look at her, face tranquil and no edge, lines soft. it’s not everyday she sees chaewon out of her perpetual state of stress and she’s going to use this little time for both of them to cherish the little pocket of peace in the constant busyness. 

minjoo notices the clock on the bedside table as chaewon turns, and a blinking 5:25 flashes on the display. minjoo remembers chaewon’s disdain of being awoken by an alarm, filled with an urge to just hit snooze and groaning constantly through it.

minjoo shakes chaewon gently, speaking just as soft, “chae, time to get up.” chaewon turns to the sound of her voice but remains asleep. minjoo presses gently on chaewon’s shoulders.

“babe, come on, you have an exam today,” minjoo says, trying to move the blankets off of chaewon, who starts to stir. 

chaewon opens her eyes, rubbing at them as she sits up. minjoo steps away to give her some space, but not before turning off the alarm as the first sound permeates through the silence. chaewon turns to her soon enough, gathering enough of her bearings, before reaching out for minjoo. 

minjoo expects a handhold, both hands at most, but chaewon tugs at her and wraps her arms around minjoo’s shoulders before snuggling right in the in-between of minjoo’s neck and collarbone. 

minjoo lets out a soft chuckle, “well, someone’s clingy today.” her fingers start to comb through chaewon’s tangled hair, smoothing down the messy tresses. 

minjoo finds that they smell of coconut. 

chaewon only responds with a whine before tangling her arms tighter around minjoo’s shoulders. it’s an awkward position, chaewon still completely on the bed with minjoo caught in a limbo of leaning forward and crouching beside the bed. 

“you should go shower,” minjoo says quietly, her hand not stopping with the motions. chaewon makes a small noise before pulling away, her hands cupping her own cheeks. 

minjoo finds it too cute, sleep-worn chaewon and her clinginess, but as tempted as she might be to coo, she won’t. she presses her lips lightly on chaewon’s forehead before standing up. 

minjoo extends a hand and chaewon takes it. minjoo pulls her out of the bed. chaewon’s movements are still wobbly, still not completely woken up. minjoo’s hands are quick to steady her. 

chaewon doesn’t pull away at once, whether still not completely awoken or just registering the moment, but minjoo does. and almost at once, there’s a slight bit of regret. 

she takes a look at chaewon, face hazy under the dimness. her face passes a confused look and a slight pout, and minjoo speaks up, perhaps to alleviate her own worries or the slights on chaewon’s expression. 

“when you’re done, we can head over to the balcony to eat breakfast.”

chaewon’s face brightens and minjoo hopes it’s enough. 

she heads out of the room as chaewon prepares her clothes, not forgetting to turn the lights on as she leaves.

she goes back to the kitchen, the scent of cooked food filling up the place. takes out a few containers and a bag before resuming a place at the counter. 

she empties out the remaining ingredients in her paper bag: a steamed bun, a yogurt drink, and a bar of chocolate. she puts the bun in the smallest container. she takes out the tray out of the oven, vegetables roasted to a nice char, and puts them at the center of the counter before taking out the rice cooker. 

minjoo works in relative silence, the occasional noise only when she accidentally hits something. rice gets placed into a container, and a portion of the sausages and the roasted vegetables placed into another. 

she grabs the bag and deposits all the containers neatly, piling them up on top of each other. the chocolate bar is slotted at the pocket at the top of the bag, over it a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. 

she plates the rest of the food, placing the pans and pots beside the sink as she finishes with them. 

footsteps start to come closer, light against the floorboards, and minjoo looks up to see chaewon, hair wrapped in a towel. she’s sporting smart casual attire, a white button-up over black jeans. 

“i packed you some lunch,” minjoo calls out as she takes her apron off. she puts it back neatly folded into a drawer.

minjoo looks up to see chaewon with a starry look in her eyes, but the look is gone as soon as she shakes her head. minjoo thinks it might’ve just been a trick of the light. 

when they head out to the balcony, the sun‘s already halfway up the sky, rays illuminating the slowly awakening city. the sight is familiar, having spent one too many days coming over chaewon’s apartment despite the distance from her own. 

they’ve spent almost half of the week staying over at each other’s places, for over a month now, and it’s weird. their friends have said a year and a half is way past the honeymoon phase (for people who see each other everyday), but despite their own fair share of fights, the sweet feeling never really seems to go away. there’s always a sense of being home, of being untouched by everything outside whenever they’re together. 

minjoo’s afraid to depend too much.

try as she might to break away, the melancholy has a certain grip over her. her stare reaches far out beyond the balcony, listless and weary.

a warm hand wraps around minjoo’s, wrapping tightly her fingers. and minjoo looks at chaewon, finding a worried look as she feels a thumb rubbing circles on the back of her hand. there’s a certain look in chaewon’s eyes, question unspoken but clearly asked, as minjoo looks into them. 

minjoo shakes her head in response, as if she had only spaced out. chaewon presses her lips onto minjoo’s knuckles slightly, pausing, before letting go. 

“let’s eat?”

minjoo nods and the silence is soon filled with the sound of metal hitting ceramic

* * *

chaewon takes a good look at herself in the mirror, observing the rest of her make-up as she prepares her lipstick. minjoo sits right beside her, doing the same except nearly done with the rest of her look. she finishes with a pair of small, studded earrings.

chaewon presses the lipstick lightly, drags them on the contour of her lips. the action is almost reflex, no need to look at the mirror. lets her hand and muscle memory do all the work.

but minjoo taps her shoulder after a pause, turning around. she moves her hair to the side, the skin of her back exposed, “zip me up, please?” 

chaewon caps the lipstick, placing it onto the table. her hands move deftly, bringing the zipper up quickly, stopping right below the base of the neck. chaewon uses both hands to clinch the top button together. 

“you’re all done,” chaewon says, her hands tapping at minjoo’s shoulders. minjoo turns around, inching towards chaewon. 

minjoo looks at chaewon’s face, looking at every single nook and edge, eyeing chaewon’s lips with a gaze that’s a touch too soft.her thumb swipes at the edges of chaewon’s lips, slowly. a certain weight hangs in the moment. 

“you’re good too, chae,” minjoo says, her breath ghosting over chaewon’s skin. the distance between them is so unbearably close, chaewon can see the bead of sweat that forms on the younger’s temple. 

“you’re just missing a little something,” it’s said in a whisper, and chaewon’s mind slips into a frenzy, stuttering. it’s unbelievable how minjoo still manages to putter life and undue chaos into her mind after so many months. 

she manages a barely contained, “something?”

and minjoo nods, a slight hum of agreement. “here,” she says, her face inching closer. her hand moves to the back of chaewon’s neck, pulling ever so slightly. 

it’s a warm press of lips. chaewon takes half a beat before closing her eyes and falling into it. warmth courses right into her, minjoo’s lips some kind of vessel of a hearth. there’s no meter of rush as they kiss, only careful and tender. 

chaewon almost falls into the mercy of habit, almost swipes her tongue over minjoo’s lips before realizing the make-up so she pulls away instead, hand reaching to cup the curve of minjoo’s cheek. her eyes meet minjoo’s. 

there’s a delicate light to them, flickering in paces, as minjoo sends her a knowing smile. 

“i think that shade looks great on you,” minjoo remarks, a rare mischievous tone gracing her voice. she winks before turning to get something from her mess of drawers. chaewon looks to the mirror and sees the light sheen of lip gloss working as a second layer. 

her cheeks burn, following the red of her own lipstick. 

* * *

minjoo wakes up with a splitting headache. her face feels hot, and her body feels sore. all telltale signs of a fever.

she turns to see chaewon sitting, her back on the headboard of the bed, phone in her hands. minjoo tries to move her hand over to her but her hands feel like dead weight so she opts to call for chaewon instead.

“chae,” it comes out as a push of air, indecipherable and weak. so she tries again, “chae.” it comes out just as weak, but slightly clearer.

chaewon seems to hear because she gives minjoo with a curious glance, “what is it, min?” minjoo takes in a ragged breath, managing to say, “not feeling well.” 

chaewon puts her phone on the bedside table before regarding minjoo again. she places the back of her hand on minjoo’s forehead, “you’re a little hot. wait here, i’ll get you some water.”

minjoo groans as she feels the bed move up, and chaewon shuffles towards the door. minjoo closes her eyes, presses her hand on her forehead. the light pressure relieves the headache for a moment, but it comes back soon enough, a dull throb at the back of her head. 

chaewon comes back, her feet light on the floorboards. minjoo opens her eyes when she feels chaewon nudging her. 

“sit up, min, and take this.” chaewon has a capsule in one hand and a glass of water in another. 

minjoo pushes herself up, taking the glass weakly. there’s a weariness that hangs about her shoulders, but she takes the capsule easily enough. 

chaewon puts a hand on her back, “don’t lie down yet.” chaewon fluffs up her pillows, stacks two on top of each other before signaling her to rest. 

“is that too high?” chaewon asks. minjoo shakes her head.

chaewon brings a thermometer towards minjoo’s lips, “let’s check your temp.” minjoo complies, playing with the weight of the thermometer on her lips. 

chaewon smiles gently at her before getting the glass, saying, “i’ll just get something.” she’s out the door before minjoo can even nod. 

minjoo spaces out, but only for a short moment, because the electronic beep of the thermometer sounds throughout the room. she looks at the reading.  _ 38 degrees_.

she turns to put the thermometer on the bedside table, before leaning back into the pillows. chaewon’s fluffed up the pillows just right, minjoo thinks, as she sinks into the soft cushions. 

chaewon comes back inside, holding a washcloth and a filled basin. minjoo greets her, “temp’s 38,” her voice cracking around the edges.

chaewon nods, “it’s not so bad but you still need some rest.” she dips the washcloth inside the basin and wrings it tightly before placing it onto minjoo’s forehead.

minjoo feels the sharp sting of cold water on her skin. she inhales sharply. “that’s so c-“ minjoo barely makes it through the sentence before her teeth go into repeated chatter. 

“cold,” her voice is breathy, an attempt to keep the clinking of teeth at bay. 

“you have to deal with it, you big baby,” chaewon says as she laughs, fixing the blankets on minjoo. she asks, “is this okay or is it too warm?”

minjoo responds feebly, “it’s good.” the cool material on her forehead is starting to take effect, doing wonders for the heat. 

“i’ll leave some water here, alright?” chaewon motions toward the table. minjoo nods, before cozying up on the bed. 

she looks at chaewon and tries to muster the loudest voice she can, “thanks for taking care of me.”

chaewon looks at her with the softest eyes, warmth and care filling brown eyes, “always, min.” she removes the cloth and puts it through the water again. she continues, “but listen to me next time when i tell you to change out of your clothes, you know how you are when you get rained on.” 

minjoo laughs weakly, looking back at her silly attempt yesterday. “yes, ma’am, i’ll make sure not to cause you a bother again,” she says, a giggle bubbling at the back of her throat. but it gets stuck from the pain and comes out disrupted and disjointed.

chaewon kisses her forehead lightly before replying, “you’re never a bother, i just don’t like to see you in pain.” minjoo’s heart does an erratic thrum as a giddy smile surfaces on her face. 

chaewon places the cloth back onto minjoo’s forehead. she stands up and shuts the lights off, as minjoo falls slowly into slumber.

* * *

chaewon sits on the couch of her living room, chips and soda laid out in front of her. the television screen has the beginnings of La La Land displayed. 

chaewon takes to scrolling on instagram on her phone as she waits for minjoo; there are a few photos of yena and yujin’s dogs, a few apartment layouts from the architecture pages she’s following. it’s not a lot, she isn’t very active on the account anyway with her masters keeping her busy. 

she takes a photo of their setup before posting it on her story, captioned with “movie night w @minju_”, before closing her phone and setting it on the table. 

she feels someone drop next to her, a soft plop on the couch. minjoo’s carding through her damp hair, towel around her shoulders. 

chaewon asks, “start?”

minjoo nods, and the first scene plays, an upbeat jazz number ringing from the television speakers. 

they don’t talk much as the movie rolls out, only occasionally humming to tunes. they’re pressed closed together, a blanket over their legs and a bag of chips in between them. minjoo hugs chaewon’s arm from the start. clutches tighter at the part where mia and sebastian are dancing on the hilltop overlooking the city. 

the scene ends, and minjoo rests her head on chaewon’s shoulder. 

they’re more than halfway into the movie when chaewon speaks up. it’s the first time either of them break the silence. 

“minjoo?” 

minjoo replies, “yeah?”

chaewon’s eyes never leave the screen, but her head’s in a different space from mia and sebastian eating dinner in their apartment. she asks minjoo, “when we get our own place in the future, how do you think it’d look like?” her voice is quiet, tiptoeing the line. 

chaewon feels minjoo move away and she turns her eyes toward her. minjoo considers her question in earnest, before sheepishly smiling, “i don’t know, you’re the architect here, chae.” 

chaewon rolls her eyes. smiles as she puts a hand on minjoo’s knee, “yeah, but i still want to know what you want.” 

minjoo looks down as she places her hand atop chaewon’s, thumb caressing chaewon’s knuckles. she looks back, “it doesn’t really matter what it looks like or where it is, as long as it’s with you.”

chaewon sighs, terribly exaggerated. “kim minjoo, i know you’re smitten with me, but god, you are so cheesy.” she says it with a hint of tiredness but her hand wraps around minjoo’s hand snugly. 

chaewon’s caught by surprise when minjoo surges forward, hands on chaewon’s shoulders, knees pinned beside chaewon’s waist. chaewon hears the bag of chips fall to the floor, and she knows it’s going to be a mess to clean up, but she can’t bring it in herself to care. not right now. 

minjoo pokes her tongue out. tells chaewon, “you’re gonna have to deal with it.” 

chaewon only shakes her head at minjoo’s antics, uncharacteristic from her usual professional behavior but not far from the minjoo chaewon sees everyday. “not like you leave me much choice.” 

minjoo angles her head more, hair falling from her shoulders, and chaewon finds herself  _distracted_ . 

she stares at minjoo, hair mussed up from the mess and fluorescent lights glaring around her head. the circles around her eyes are darker than they usually are. she’s wearing one of chaewon’s oversized black sweaters. 

chaewon may have seen minjoo dressed to the nines, full make-up complementing all her features, but  _this_ sight,  _this_ minjoo makes her falter like no other. her heart lodges itself deeper into her own chest, breath catching at the base of her throat and she can’t help herself from feeling. can’t stop herself from saying her next words like a promise of truth: 

“i love you.”

her voice resonates clearly in between the silence and the 90s jazz. it’s her first time saying it. but the situation doesn’t feel tense or charged, only fitting. like the last piece of a puzzle slotting into place. 

minjoo hums, sends her the gentlest look. sinks into chaewon. her voice is gentle against chaewon’s skin, “i love you, too.” 

chaewon rests her hands on minjoo’s waist, closing her eyes. she asks minjoo, “one or two offices?”

“one is fine, we’re used to working at the dining table together.” minjoo asks her back, “what do you prefer?”

chaewon thinks before replying, “one. it’s nice seeing you as i work.” 

“you like what you see?” chaewon knows there’s a look of teasing on minjoo’s face, can hear it from the thrum in her voice. 

“definitely. i’d send you off to one of those modeling reality shows, your face would blow everyone out of the competition, but i can’t let go of you.”

it’s more truth than she’d expected herself to admit, almost as much weight as saying i love you. chaewon turns her head. presses lips onto minjoo’s temple. 

“if i ever end up on there, you’re coming with me. have you seen yourself?” minjoo laughs, lifting her head from her spot. chaewon sees minjoo’s eyes looking, flitting around her face. minjoo’s thumb brushes her cheek. she leaves a kiss there before returning to her old position, chin resting on chaewon’s shoulder. 

chaewon sees through the way minjoo jokes. knows the both of them are on the same page, mean the same thing.

_no letting go._

**Author's Note:**

> this is for our resident prompt bot, cherry (go follow her on twt her @‘s myoineuri)! the original prompt was “but imagine 2kim meeting and instantly feeling a connection, they start dating not long after but constantly having to stop themselves from going all in because it's 'too soon'. Or finding themselves doing something incredibly domestic and one of them end up making things awkward because it feels too right and they might be the only one falling too deep too quickly but then the other surprises them by nonchalantly mentioning a future plan they have as a couple (like buying a house and building their own home)” and yes,, ive taken some creative liberties. because i can :D 
> 
> it’s been a while since i wrote and i had a hard time writing and pegging down some of the scenes so the style in some may be a little different from the usual,, hope that isn’t too far away from your liking ! apologies for any errors, i’ve only gone through this once so i might’ve missed some things hhhhh
> 
> anyway, hope you guys liked that! thank you for reading! 
> 
> twt: minjoonthebeat  
> cc: tzuum  
> [kofi](https://ko-fi.com/tzuum)


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